Author and host of the hit OUTDOOR CHANNEL show SHOOTING GALLERY spouts off...

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Details on Detonics Sale

I mentioned on the podcast last weeks that Detonics had been sold. I just received this via email from old friends Jerry & Sharon Ahern:

Detonics Press ReleaseNovember 13, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE!

In the fight for Democracy, John Moses Browning’s Model 1911 weapon system is arguably one of the most important technologies of the 20th century. Better known as the Government Model .45, Browning’s 1911/1911-A1 pioneered break-through weapon technology, bringing forward a weapon platform that enhanced the mission capability and survivability of military personnel and peace-keepers world wide. In fact, Browning’s 1911 was instrumental in the heroic actions leading to multiple American military personnel receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Browning’s 1911 weapon system remained virtually unchanged for the next 60 years, until the team of Pat Yates, Sid Woodcock and Mike Maes joined together in 1973 to develop the first fully functional true compact 1911. The innovations needed to bring this concept to market were spearheaded by Sid Woodcock, a weapons and explosives engineer who was a World War II veteran and security specialist and consultant to numerous government agencies. Woodcock and Maes would go on to form Detonics Manufacturing Corporation, Inc., with Woodcook leading an engineering team that produced a battery of innovations that created a new 1911 industry.

In 1986, Detonics Manufacturing Corporation ceased day-to-day weapons manufacturing and licensed their intellectual properties to a series of start-up Detonics companies, the most recent being Detonics USA of Pendergrass, Georgia.

In a two party transaction, Double Nickel, LLC, acquired Detonics Manufacturing Corporation as well the assets and inventory of Detonics USA. Double Nickel is owned by Bruce Siddle of Millstadt, IL, and Dr Steve Stahle of St. Louis, MO.

Siddle is best known as the founder of PPCT Management Systems, Inc., and Homeland Security Corp, where he is the CEO. Siddle is also recognized internationally as one of the leading experts in Combat Human Factors, the study of how combat/survival stress impacts performance. His research into the triggering of the Sympathetic Nervous System during combat is considered pioneering and has influenced a whole new generation of firearms and combat skills instructors.

Dr. Steve Stahle, a nationally recognized sports internist whose clients include a wide spectrum from professional athletes and Olympic athletes to families of the greater St. Louis area, is an expert on performance conditioning and performance human factors.

Siddle (who also owns five patents, four of which are law enforcement technology oriented) and Stahle bring forward a very unique leadership team in this acquisition. “The firearms industry is rich with tradition, and has been growing rapidly over the last five years in all sectors – sporting, competition and peace keeping. We are very proud to be part of this industry, although our focus will be on developing stress compatible and combat oriented weapon systems specifically for military and law enforcement applications.”

The acquisition of the Detonics Manufacturing Corporation provides Siddle and Stahle with a platform that was created upon the “…combat driven legacy as developed by Sid Woodcock, who, we are very proud to announce, will be part of our team. And, while we will continue the successful 1911 platform, everyone can expect some truly innovative technology which will enhance combat accuracy and weapon safety to emerge from Detonics within the next several months. Our goal is to restore Detonics as the leader in weapon system innovation, creating the next generation weapon platform for peace-keepers.”

Siddle will be leaving HSC as the CEO the week ending November 17th to assume the leadership of Detonics. Siddle will be handing off his current CEO duties to Joseph Johnson, who is the Chairman of The Board. Some of HSC’s headquarter operations will be relocated to Washington, DC.

“My wife, Sandy, and I formed PPCT Management Systems, Inc., in 1980 and grew it into the largest use of force training organization on the planet. We merged the firm into Homeland Security Corporation in 2002, post September 11. Together, the HSC and PPCT teams provided support to our Nation’s security by receiving the TSA contracts to train all of the passenger and baggage screeners at all U. S. airports, a contract to train a classified number of Air Marshals, a contract to provide force protection training for U. S. special forces units, and, today, HSC is one of the companies providing U. S. peace keepers to the United Nations. But, for a former police officer and use of force instructor to have an opportunity to acquire Detonics, knowing we can bring forward innovations to enhance an officer’s or soldier’s survivability, is an honor that deserves 100% of my focus and attention. I leave HSC in great hands with a partner and friend for the last five years.”

Within the next few weeks, Siddle and Stahle will relocate Detonics Headquarters to Southern Illinois. “The logistics of the relocation will take several weeks; but, once completed, Detonics will have a full customer service support unit again. A new website should be up within a very short period of time. The community can expect a series of innovation-related announcements over the next six months.”

In the short term, Jerry Ahern is the designated Detonics media-relations point of contact. Jerry has a long history with Detonics, which includes a position as a former CEO. Jerry can be contacted at 251 747-3742.

Moving to Illinois in INSANE. They hate guns in the IL government - well Cook County government which runs IL.

What kind of press release was that? I had to wade through to the 4th paragraph to find out who bought the damn company. Isn't that the key info to relay? Not that I mind the patriotic discourse about the history of the 1911.

That's what happens when you get a wacko author to make your "press release"! Sounds like a preview to a new John Thomas "Ahern" Rourke book! What a joke. Even more so, Double Nickel, LLC isn't a registered company anywhere! They probably haven't even bought the company!

As a media relations guy (and former MSM journalist) that was a pretty poorly written release.

However, unless they're priced in the Dick Heinie range (his are worth it) I will be curious to look over the new CombatMaster. Like the Beretta 93-R, Bren Ten, and S&W Model 29, there's just something about it...

But seriously, Illinois?

I can't imagine many "innovative" new products under the restrictions that state has passed.

"Introducing the most modern combat rifle to ever be developed... with a 10 round magazine."

Their first step shoudl be to hire somebody who can write a press release unless this blog is their only avenue to distribute information. If that's the case they have Bane to comment on it and his comments carry more weight than anybody I can think of in the firearms world.

Who cares about how much bull is in the release? The good point is that Detonics may be up again, like a Phoenix! Too bad they made such a poor decision to pay IL ANY money from gun buyers. I will consider that I'm paying to outlaw what I'm purchasing which is in all our minds.I will NOT.

"Introducing the most modern combat rifle to ever be developed... with a 10 round magazine."

You are WRONG if you are implying that the entire state of IL has a magazine restriction to just ten rounds.

I have shot many a 3 gun match or IPSC match with 18, 20 or 30 rounds in my AR or pistola.

For an IL map of pro 2nd amendment counties go here:

http://www.pro2aresolution.com/id12.html

And just a reminder to all the other anti- IL posters so far, IL is also home of the American Trapshooting Association's Grand match in Sparta and USPSA's Single Stack Classic at PASA Park in Quincy. That is the one that Team Springfield Armory shooter Rob Leatham is known to win every year. Springfield Armory is in Geneseo, IL.

Blackwater did in fact buy another training facility, and it is located in northern IL near DeKalb or Normal, I think.

How does this clear Ahern? Ahern spent 3 years living his alter ego of the Survivalist through Detonics. I mean, really, you had a guy with no business experience at all, who simple wrote stories and magazine articles, in charge of a major gun company - and all he did was market John Thomas Rourke with his 80s style Ray Bans. Give me a break. I mean, would you pay $1,000 for a high end gun that more than likely was built by a temp worker in a strip mall??! I mean, I'll take the new Sig over the Detoincs simply because I know for sure it was built by a pro.

And what's up with the new guy - he's no different. So what if he was a cop. He was President of this HSC place for what, less than a year, and now the place, according to the girl who answered the phone, has been "shut down until further notice" so that he can make a "weapons system platform"? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I can't stand it! Who are these goofballs and more importantly, who are the wacks who fund them? OH yeah, right - the local illinois doctors, HAHAHA!

But I will give Ahern credit for his last article (in Guns and Ammo, or something like that) was a great article on outdoor cookware. Man, I hope to see a new line of Detonics pots and pans out for Christmas! Hopefully I can get Peter Dunn to check mine out before they ship - but hey, maybe temp workers from IL are better than GA! Then again, I guess when you're desperate for money you'll write about anything...

The move by ATA to IL was ill advised. We should never do business in a state that hates us. The Grand delivers $10-$12 million in economic impact and we delivered it to a state that is bad for gun owners and gun companies.

Yeah SA is in Geneseo. They also have a plan to move to MO. RRA is looking at Iowa. ArmaLite probably the same thing.

Wave the IL flag all you want but when asked what was the next state to follow CA in banning the 50, Ronnie Barrett said, "Illinois."

I wouldn't be holding the execs who ran big auto manufacturers into the ground as exemplers of how to run any business.Jerry Ahern is a gun user. That puts him up on most business titans who have never used the end product they manufacture. The press release read like a gun magazine article, because Jerry wrote gun magazines. Any of you critics gonna put your money where your mouth is and start up a gun company? You all seem to think you know so much and all, why not bring back Randall and show us all how brilliant you are, or just shut up.

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